Honoring, remembering black history in Wayne
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on February 6, 2018 5:50 AM
The Wayne County Museum has planned a calendar full of events for Black History Month.
The theme of National Black History Month is "Blacks in the Military."
"The exhibit is about pioneers and entrepreneurs from Wayne County's black history," said director Jennifer Kuykendall. "It features people like Amaziah Howell and Jake Musgrave, Goldsboro's first two black police officers; Dr. Lonnie Hayes, the first black surgeon to operate on staff at Wayne Memorial Hospital and outstanding humanitarian; Al King, the city's first black mayor; and local businesses like Parker's BBQ, that had the first integrated dining room before desegregation, and J.B. Rhodes Funeral Home, the oldest black-owned funeral home in the county."
Opening night for the exhibit is tonight from 7 to 10. There will be spoken word from African-American poet Sharon Dixon, motivational speakers Bakari DeShaun and Brandi Matthews, singing by Mr. Mobley and a presentation by councilman Antonio Williams.
Several local African-American vendors will be selling items. Those vendors include Palmarius Art, Lrato, The Wire Scarf, Pink Piggy Sweets, Nique Nax and Teri'zza Couture Val's Creations.
There will also be a DJ and refreshments.
Feb. 10 at noon, there will be a presentation on "Answering the Call" by military curator Kenneth Gambill.
"Starting with the Revolutionary War, I'll talk about the free blacks and black slaves in the North Carolina Regiment in key battles to include Yorktown," he said. "It will cover colored volunteer troops for the Union side. It will focus in more on Goldsboro because one of the units was the 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd North Carolina Volunteers, which was the militia after the Civil War, completely run by all-black officers."
It will also feature information on Lt. Eagleson from Goldsboro, with the Tuskegee Airmen.
Feb. 17 from 6 to 9 p.m., local African-American fashion designer Teresa Atkinson-Jones will have a fashion show of her works, complete with a catwalk. She makes clothes out of repurposed denim and traditional African fabrics. She will also be selling her clothing line Teri'zza Couture.
Feb. 24 from noon to 3 p.m., there will be a black history quiz bowl for high school students, coordinated by the NAACP. It will include all aspects of black culture.
For more information on these events for Black History Month, call the Wayne County Museum at 919-734-5023.